Where to Find Cinnabar in the United States
14 mapped cinnabar spots across 6 U.S. states. Cinnabar is reported at multiple rockhounding spots across the United States. The map below shows where collectors most often find it on legal public ground.
Map showing where to find cinnabar across the United States, with 14 mapped spots
Top states for cinnabar
States ranked by number of cinnabar spots in our database. States in bold link to a focused cinnabar-in-state list.
Every cinnabar spot we track
Sorted by state and county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.
| Spot | County | Minerals | Coordinates | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Gleason (South Side)Lake Village Drive | Pike County |
| 34.1536, -93.7099 | Public |
| Unnamed Location (Cinnabar)C R 241 | Pike County | 34.1615, -93.7467 | Public | |
| New Almaden Area MinesBertram Road | Santa Clara County | 37.1760, -121.8208 | Public | |
| Salmon River (Stanley area)Salmon River Scenic Byway | Custer County | 44.2406, -114.9018 | Public | |
| Mountain Home3rd Street | Owyhee County | 43.0147, -116.7339 | Public | |
| Silver Cloud MineRock Creek Road | Elko County | 41.0528, -116.6248 | Public | |
| Fish Lake ValleyCemetery Road | Esmeralda County |
| 37.7962, -118.0090 | Public |
| BeowaweBeacon Light Road | Eureka County | 40.5767, -116.5153 | Public | |
| BeattyBroadway | Nye County | 36.9015, -116.8362 | Public | |
| TerlinguaFM 170 | Brewster County | 29.3089, -103.6275 | Public | |
| Granite MountainIron Springs Road | Iron County | 37.7340, -113.2350 | Public | |
| MarysvilleWest Bullion Avenue | Piute County | 38.4494, -112.2304 | Public | |
| Ibapah Mountains | Tooele County | 39.9122, -113.8863 | Public | |
| MercurMercur Canyon Road | Tooele County | 40.3223, -112.2127 | Public |
Cinnabar rockhounding FAQ
Where is the best place to find cinnabar in the U.S.?+
Nevada, Utah, Arkansas have the highest concentrations of cinnabar in this list. Each state's quality and access varies — open the linked state pages for a detailed view.
How many cinnabar rockhounding spots does RockHoundR track?+
14 mapped spots across 6 states. The app keeps these on a map alongside your private finds.
Can I legally collect cinnabar on public land?+
Casual hand collecting of common rocks and minerals like cinnabar is allowed on most BLM and U.S. Forest Service land, with daily and annual limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are off-limits. Always check with the managing agency before a trip.
How do I identify cinnabar in the field?+
Field identification of cinnabar comes down to color, hardness, fracture, and luster. The RockHoundR app links to geology details for each spot to help narrow down what you might be picking up.
Hunt cinnabar on the map
Open RockHoundR to see these spots on a real map with public land overlays and trip-planning details.
